William L. Holzman, a member of a longtime Hampton Bays family, died on Friday, October 24, at Southampton Hospital. He was 88.
Born on his family’s duck farm on the Shinnecock Canal on September 20, 1926, Capt. Bill as he was affectionately known, was predeceased by his first wife, Jessie, and was for the past 25 years the husband of Betty Gloss. Known from Florida to Maine as a respected sportfishing captain, Mr. Holzman baited 54 swordfish in his career for many anglers, primarily Ed Borg of Amagansett, a lifelong friend. He ran Rybovich boats during the heyday of sportfishing with such well-known people as captains Jack Lance, Sam Smith and even John Rybovich. Retiring as a private captain, he then ran the charter boat Merlin from the Montauk Marine Basin for more than 20 years, continuing his reputation as one of Montauk’s best captains. His career as a captain was honored in 1999 at an awards ceremony at the Montauk Yacht Club’s “Old Timers Night.”
Mr. Holzman fished and clammed at every opportunity with his close circle of lifelong friends, many of them from old Hampton Bays families. He was always available to take someone new fishing or clamming to introduce them to the life he loved so much.
In addition to his wife Betty, he is survived by two sisters, Barbara Wheeler and Geraldine Dowell; nieces, Christine Wheeler and Maureen Dowell; nephews, George and William J. Holzman, David Dowell, Fred Wheeler and Kevin Holzman; and stepsons, Paul and Brian Gloss. He is also survived by his sisters-in-law, Sister Eugenie Gen, Mary Papper and Louise Muse.
Visiting hours were at R.J. O’Shea Funeral Home in Hampton Bays on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 28 and 29, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. A funeral Mass is scheduled for the Church of St. Rosalie in Hampton Bays on Thursday, October 30, at 10:30 a.m. with burial following at Good Ground Cemetery, also in Hampton Bays.
on Oct 27, 2014